Go Joe Bruin
Fansided

UCLA Football: Bruins land commitment from 2018 DL/OL

By Michael Chavez

WESTWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Chip Kelly speaks to the media during a press conference on November 27, 2017 in Westwood, California. Kelly was just announced as the new UCLA head football coach. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
WESTWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 27: Chip Kelly speaks to the media during a press conference on November 27, 2017 in Westwood, California. Kelly was just announced as the new UCLA head football coach. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

In what now could best be described as the recruiting home stretch, the UCLA Football Bruins just received another commitment to bolster the size of the roster.

Baraka Beckett, a two-star 2018 DT committed to the UCLA Football program Sunday afternoon on Twitter. While Beckett was typically being looked at as a defensive recruit, he also played on the offensive side of the ball as an OT. That’s the side of the football he’ll be playing on when he joins the team.

Measuring in at six-foot-four and 275 pounds, Beckett doesn’t have a traditional tackle frame but instead looks like he would be a natural guard and that’s where I’m projecting him. He’s long and has plenty of room for more bulk and demonstrates he has the physical strength to play inside. He bullies opposing linemen from both the DT/DE position and shows an impressive burst for a man his size. That combination will be deadly once Hank Fraley gets his hands on him.

Related Story: UCLA Football: Bruins land 4-star 2018 OL Chris Murray

Beckett actually decommitted from Hawaii late in December. The Rainbow Warriors were bringing him in as a defensive lineman. UCLA was Beckett’s biggest offer to date although he did have offers from Army, Rice and UNLV.

The commitment comes also comes at a major position of need as Najee Toran (also a former DL recruit) will graduate and the Bruins also will lose Kolton Miller and Scott Quessenberry to the NFL Draft. While one guard position will be held by Michael Alves next season the other could be up for grabs. Don’t expect Beckett to be in the running to win the job but his commitment gives them a bump of depth that has plagued the OL group.

It also comes on the heels of Chris Murray’s commitment to the Bruins that came during the Army All-American game.

While his star ranking might really give some UCLA Football fans pause, this writer is willing to give Chip Kelly the benefit of the doubt until he gives me a reason to doubt him. He’s built offensive lines with three-star recruits and his offense flourished. Hell, some of his best players weren’t even ranked like current Tampa Buccaneer T.J. Ward.

While his position as the UCLA Football head coach will give him greater recruiting power than he ever had at Oregon, he’s still going to find talented players that get overlooked by other big programs.

Next: UCLA Basketball: Bruins have no answer for the hungry Colorado Buffaloes

Beckett is going to need at least a year to add on weight and sharpen his technique so don’t expect him to see the field this season. But as we’ve discussed neither that nor his star ranking should give you any pause though.